Strange Stirrings
by Artexatreyu
Summary: One night Katara has a vivid dream that distracts her from the war and responsibilities she has to commit to. But when she finds out who exactly was in her dream, her views are completely changed about a certain member of the group. AU, Zutara
1. Chapter 1

_Dear Reader,_

_I know one or two of you are still awating further chapters for "Nation Integration." And I can assure you that they are on their way. But I've had this little kumquat fermenting in my mind for some time now and had no other choice but to indulge in my more, primal creativities._

* * *

.

It all happened overnight.

In all honesty, it wasn't anything to be ashamed of, it was just that Katara had never been exposed to..."stirrings" of the sorts, as they were. She came from a strict tribal setting, deep in the frozen desert of the South Pole. When girls entered their so called "womanhood," generally they just carried on into their destined roles, cleaning, nurturing, maintaining. Woman's work.

But since she and her brother found the Avatar, traveled around the world and fought their battles, life for the last Southern Water Bender was anything but woman's work. And as such, her body began to mature into her own signifcant role as a young woman.

But that was just it. She WAS a _woman_. A woman who had seen the world differently than other girls her age, especially girls from the water tribes. It was only natural that her hormones would eventually catch up to her. She never expected it to be here, in the Fire Nation...the worst place in the entire world right now. But land locations didn't matter to biology.

* * *

She dreampt of a shirtless and finely muscled body, serene, flawless, shimmering in an aura of warm, golden sunlight. She couldn't define a face but she saw him coming up behind her, wrapping his defined arms around her and nuzzling into her neck. She turned to jelly in his embrace. The man started to kiss her, between her head and shoulder, along her jawbone, up to her mouth. And right when she had turned her face to look at him and meet her lips with his...

She woke up. The dream weighed heavily on her conscience at first. She didn't know who it was or why she had dreampt it in the first place, but she had. And thinking about it all day had plagued her concentration. A plague that lasted for a whole week and made her feel paranoid about anyone she locked eyes with.

The dream was reoccuring every night, but with different situations. Always his body, his arms holding her and squeezing her, touching in ways that would sometimes make her laugh, and other times back her head roll in pleasure. But she never got to see her mystery man's entire body, and worse yet, she still hadn't seen his face. She would never know who he was.

After a few days of blindly going through her usual routine, and succombing to the welcoming dstractions of her daydreams, she looked around at the world absentmindedly. Of the non-related males that used to be in their menagerie of "warriors" as her brother called them, none could compare to her mystery man. They were either too old, too young, too senstive with mustaches...or just immature, if not related to her. She sighed dejectedly.

Sure, she was in the middle of a war, there was a nasty comet coming and in a few weeks, she would be fighting for her life. She had a million other things to worry about, but damnit, if Sokkq could release his hormones and enjoy a relationship right now, she could get lost in her thoughts!

* * *

"Katara? Are you ok? Do you need to go lay down or something?"

Sokka's girlfriend, Suki, once captain of the Kyoshi Warriors, had walked up to her while she was making breakfast in the kitchen of the Fire Lord's old, abandoned beach house. The warrior looked concerned as she put a comforting hand on Katara's shoulder.

"Katara?...uhm..."

The water bender came back to her senses, slowly focusing on Suki. She stopped stirring the ladle in the big pot in front of her.

"...wh...what?"

"Are you feeling alright?"

Suki's grey-blue eyes filled Katara's vision as she cast an inspecting look at her, searching for any signs of illness.

"Yea...I'm fine, why?"

Sokka's girlfrend smiled awkwardly, emitting a light chuckle, "Well. You're stirring a pot. Wearing oven mitts."

Katara raised an eyebrow and put a hand on her hip, "And you're point? I'm kinda cooking here..."

Sokka, who was sitting at a table on the far end of the kitchen, tried valiently to hold in his building mirth, hands clamped over his mouth and tears threatening to flood his eyes. Aang sat beside him, equally tickled and biting his lower lip while his body shook with silent laughter.

Suki raised a hand and pointed towards the cooking utensils in front of her friend.

"I mean, that's fine and all, when you are cooking. But, you're kinda of stirring an empty pot...and there is no fire under neath it."

Katara followed the direction that Suki was pointing in and saw that she WAS stirring an empty, cold pot.

The water bender backed away in embarrasment, "..errr..."

Suki turned to her and gently reached for the ladle, taking in from Katara's hand and putting another hand at the girl's shoulder, "You seem really distracted lately. Maybe you should just take it easy for a little while. Go relax or something, I'll cook breakfast and the guys will help me with everything else."

Katara tried to object but Suki gave her a firm coaxing push towards the kitchen exit.

"It's alright, Katara. We'll be fine. You've done so much already, I think we can survive one day without you. Go for a walk or something, just relax."

Aang jumped up at the table and stood rigid, "Yea, that sounds like a great idea! Let's go for a walk Katara!"

Suki interjected immediately, blocking Aang's path, "Er, Aang, I think she needs a quiet walk by herself. It would be best, trust me."

The airbender's eyes shifted from Katara thoroughly exiting out of the kitchen back to the hulking warriors surrounding him. Sokka put a hand on his shoulder and pushed him back into his chair, shaking his head, "Believe me buddy, I've known Katara her whole life. I'll never understand. But Suki is a girl. And girls speak girl. If she says Katara needs it alone, then it's best to let it stay. C'mon, let's rummage through what's left of Zuko's old stuff while Suki gets breakfast going."

Aang lowered hs head briefly, then brightened suddenly and agreed with Sokka, following the older boy out of the kitchen.

Suki looked n the direction Katara had left in and a sly, knowing smile crept across her face. She was Captain of the Kyoshi Warriors. An all FEMALE crew.

* * *

Katara wandered out over the beaches, hugging the edge of the forest entrance. She let her feelings meander and soon her feet were following along, carrying her mindlessly onward. She eventually found herself in amongst the trees, watching her feet stepping from sand to grass to thick foliage.

She stepped nimbly onto a moss covered rock and stood looking around, taking note of the incline steadily rising behind her. She closed her eyes and let her senses reach out, feeling the tentrils of moisture out. She could detect the overpowering feeling of the ocean far of but all around. But there was something else. Something closer and feeling more like a moving pool.

She located the push and pull, climbing the hill and seeing an edge. As she stepped caustiously towards the edge, she looked down and took in a deep breath of surprise. Below, carved naturally into the earth, was a gully of lush greenery. Situated inside of the gully were three large hotspring pools, their bubblng waters billowing steam up towards the sky. She wandered if the steam was like the suana room she and Toph had shared back in Ba Sing Sei.

Katara looked down the straight fall into the gully, wondering if there was some way down from up here. She got down on her knees so she wouldn't lose her balance and looked along the wall face for grips and ledges, but saw none. She got up to stand but a movement on the wall face to her right made her freeze in place. Down at the base of the wall was a large cave she hadn't noticed until now.

It was of moderate size, but the hanging vines and roots covering it's entrance made almost impossible to see. But when an arm swung out of the wall to sweep away the vines, it came in to clear view. Katara thought about crawling backward and better out of site when a person stepped out into the clearing.

It was none other than Zuko!

"So this is where he comes every morning!" She wondered why he disappears after bending practice with Aang and didn't show up for Breakfast until much later. He must come to the hotsprings to meditate.

He walked out to a large pool, keeping his eyes down. Katara expected him to just sit down in a crossed legged postion, like the lotus postion, and start meditating. She felt a little awkward spying on her newly accepted friend and turned to leave, when the fire bender suddenly took his shirt off.

Katara's eyes widened when she caught site if his muscles and flat stomach, carved with abs. Her heart quickened as realization dawned upon her. _Was Zuko...?_

She didn't have time to think as Zuko began sliding his hands to the sides of his trousers and pulling down. The water bender stifled her yelp of surprise as she turned over onto her back, flopping down on the grass. Her face flushed red and she felt a hot wave spread from ear to ear, coming to a boil at her cheeks and nose. Somewhere down in the gully, a dozen yards or so, Zuko was naked.

The guy who had chased them around the world, tirelessly tracking them down, battling them, causing life to be a living hell for the majority of the year and the one guy she had despised the most, was also, definitely, the guy she had been dreaming about for the last week.

This was going to be the worst last month of her life.

* * *

She lay there looking up at the clouds and clutching nervously at the grass underneath her. She needed to get out of here, to get back to the house and be on her way. She just needed to forget what she had seen...almost seen..._wanted to see._

_No!_

She couldn't think that! Her eyes flicked back and forth, paranoia setting in. Spirits...Yue...all of them, they could be watching her now and shaking their heads at her in shame. But she couldn't move. If she tried to get up and stepped on a twig, or fell down the hill, he would surely hear and find her out. What would he say if he found she had seen him?!

_You were watching me!_

Katara closed her eyes, not wanting to think about how angry he would be. He had a temper and a habit of stomping away irrationally and she definitely didn't want to be on the receiving end of that or the reason he had left.

The water bender exhaled slowly, trying to calm her nerves. _Ah, but he was SO damn fine!_

What if, just if, he were like any other seventeen year old boy? Under all that stress, trauma, and aggression, there could still be a hope. And if it was that way, what would he say?

_So. You were watching me?...Like what you saw?- _Sexy smirk.

_Oh, you found out?-_ Innocent smile, fluttery eyelashes.

Maybe he would tie her up, like back by the river, with her wrists bound to a tree. Maybe he would saunter around her like he had, sidle up real close and whisper into her ear with his sultry voice.

_Would you like a private performance or personal tour?_

A silly grin curved her lips and she tapped her hands on the ground, trying to will herself to move.

If he could tie her to a tree and whisper like that before, then he obviously was capable of a few other...seductive things. Really though? What teenage boy _would _have a problem with girls peeking on them every once and a while? What's the worst he could do?

She flipped back onto her stomach and eased upward to view over the edge. There he was, sitting in the hot spring. The bubbling water made getting a better view less than satisfactory, but even if it wasn't bubbling, she wouldn't have been able to see anything anyway. Zuko was currently scrubbing at his clothes in the water, cleaning them of the morning's practice.

But what she could see was still a good view. His well toned body had beads of water streaking down, curving across his muscles and making his skin gleam. His hair was slicked down and his bangs tapered across his eyes. He kept a straight expression on his face, like he knew what he was doing but was thinking of far away things.

She watched him washing his clothes and wandered how hot the water was and if she could tolerate it. Now that she had a face to place the "man of her dreams," all of those images kept springing back to mind, making her imagination run wild.

_I can't believe this, I used to hate him!...But he has done so much to redeem himself. He's saved me. I've saved him._

"And if it weren't for me, the incident in Ba Sing Sei wouldn't have happened..."

It was her own fault she hated him so horribly for breaking her trust. Had she not have run to King Kuei, Azula wouldn't have found them and Aang wouldn't have been hurt. She couldn't honestly blame him for what he did, taking his sister over their group. Though he didn't know it at the time, she had caused him to lose what little happiness he had finally managed in the last three years.

She sighed quietly as she surveyed him, her emotions drowning her mood. How could he ever like a girl like her anyway? Who was a Southern Water Tribe girl to the Prince of the Fire Nation? She was the Chief's daughter, but it meant nothing. And though Zuko had been banished, it didn't erase the decade or so of Royal Formal life he had been groomed for. His blood came from a champion line of powerful fire benders and High Aristocracy. He was born Someone, and knew nothing else in the world, and if they won this war, he would be crowned Fire Lord Zuko.

And she would still only be Katara from the Southern Water Tribe, the girl who helped the Avatar. She huffed out in annoyance but was immediately distracted as Zuko began to move around in the water. He stood significantly above water level. He held his shirt in front of him and placed it along the rim of the pool, then found his trousers and underlings and placed them beside his top. He stood before her only partially covered by water.

An immediate sensation racked her lower abdomen and she felt some inner muscles relax. Her eyes roamed about his exposed front, lingering curiously at the area right above water level. His abdominal muscles flexed down to his waist, where a dominant V shaped it's way along his hips. As if it were enticing her to look. Though she didn't need any more help.

A light line of hair reached up to his navel from below the water, something her dreams had neglected to add and she briefly wondered what it would feel like tracing her fingertips along it, perhaps finding out where it lead to. The thought made her blush again but she didn't look away, deciding instead to hood her eyelids and bite her lower lip.

It was only a matter of time before...

Katara nearly blew her cover as she squealed out suddenly before clamping a firm hand over her mouth, eyes bulging wildly. Zuko had walked to the edge of the pool and climbed out, revealing his body waist down. He grabbed his clothes and walked a distance from the humidity.

The drilling sensation bore it's way to a point in between Katara's legs as she stared at the shapely length of Zuko. She had never seen a man before but the drawings and stories that the other women in her tribe shared didn't mention anything too utterly pleasant, at least, length-wise.

Maybe it was a Water Tribe thing, but Zuko certainly would have given the women something nice to talk about. He faced her and brought his hands to his chest, running them down the front of his body sending steam rising in their trail. The motion sent images from her frist dream spinning to the front of her eyes and she immediately tried to imagine what his hands would feel like running down the front of her body. Caressing her, smoothing her skin, palming down her navel to tickle her sensually.

She caught herself closing her eyes and biting her lip a little too sharply and cursed herself for getting distracted. Zuko was already pulling his trousers up over his undershorts and reaching down for his shirt. Katara let out a sigh and decided this was the best time to make her move back to the house. She quickly managed to move back down the hill through the trees, not knowing where she was going and her core aching in frustration.

Hopefully, tonight she would have an entertaining, and satisfying enough dream that it would suffice the urging between her legs. If not, she could surely take care of some of that herself, now that she had a face to look at.

* * *

It took her some time, but she finally managed to find the beach house, after locating the ocean's pull from a league off. She had to walk a good majority of the shore length around just to find some familiar land markings. Her walk had subdued the hazy mood she had been in for the last week, and all she could think about now was Zuko, and how she was going to react when she was near him.

She could already feel her heartbeat respond when she thought about him entering the living room or walking into the kitchen.

_What about that time his arm had been around her and he was nearly laying on top of her when he saved her from the falling statue?_

His hand had been so close to her chest...

"Ugh...why did I have to be so naive. I had him right there...right there, it could have been. Oh, Yue, he is sooo-"

"Katara?"

The water bender turned suddenly and came face to chest with a tall fire bender. Her hands immediately when up and splayed across his chest.

"Zuko!"

They stood together, Katara nearly pressing up against him and Zuko looking down at her with a bewildered look on his face. He glanced from her eyes, to her hands on his chest and then back to her eyes again, his eyebrow progressively raising higher and higher.

"...er...Are...you ok?"

Katara's breathing became labored as her eyes made a sweep of him, looking from his golden gaze, shooting down to see herself pressing into him, then settling on his chest and trying to come up with the right reaction. Eventually her senses kicked in and she quickly took a step back, pulling her hands away from his chest and bringing them up to her own, fingers curling in. She was blushing wildly and could feel the heat nearly steaming off her face.

"I, ah...I...I'm fine. Yes. Why...would you ask?"

Zuko's face slowly started to take on a pink tint, bravely fighting the embarrassment threatening to engulf him. Her hands had lingered on his chest far longer than what was necessary to consider accidental. If it had been the other way around, she would have frozen his body and shattered the ice into a million pieces.

But this was Katara, and he was Zuko. Her lingering hands were purely accidental, and if he even thought other wise, the situation would surely become worse by tenfold. Better to just pretend nothing happened.

"I saw you walking, and...you were talking to yourself. You sounded kind of...angry."

Katara's eyes shot wide again, and she silently berated herself. Had he heard anything? No, he couldn't have.

"Ah. Er...yeah, I was kind've...arguing with myself. But everything is fine. I'll be alright."

Zuko raised his right hand and put it on the back of his neck, looking out and searching for the right thing to say. Katara found herself rubbing her neck by her right ear, her left hand crossed over her chest, her cheeks still burning brightly. Zuko looked at her and decided this was a good moment to part ways, since it was clear she was embarassed.

"Well, if you're alright. But if you er...need anyone to talk to..."

The water bender's azure gaze immediately met his and she looked at him expectantly. Her look was so gentle that Zuko couldn't quite decide whether or not he had said the right thing. He quickly changed what he was going to say, much to Katara's chagrin.

"I'm sure Aang could help you. The kid has a lot of wisdom for his age. A quiet meditation session could help you if your thoughts are cloudy."

Surprisingly, he saw her mood falter and he knew then he had said the wrong thing. What did she want from him?

"Yea...sure, Zuko. Meditation would probably help. Maybe Suki could help me."

_Suki?_

Henodded and turned to walk, a part of Katara's hopes dashed away, but right before he took a step, he turned back and looked into her eyes.

"But if you ever just need someone to vent to, I'm here. I know what it's like to have pent up frustration and anger. Sometimes, the best thing you could have is someone to take your emotions out on."

Katara's heart thundered against her rib age. That was definitely the right thing to say. She couldn't help but smile at him.

"Thank you, Zuko! I'd really appreciate that! I'll be looking forward to it."

Something about the way she smiled and how her eyes brightened up, Zuko couldn't decide if she was glad to have his companionship...or just delighted in the thought of verbally, or physically, beating him up.

Well, as long as she was happy, he was doing something right.

"You're welcome Katara."

And with that, they parted, Zuko a bit confused, Katara beaming brightly and trying to focus her thoughts on how his chest had felt under her fingertips.


	2. Chapter 2

When Katara had gotten back to the house, she seemed and felt much better. She was able to get along with more focus than what she had a week ago, and was even able to interact mindfully. Tolerance towards Aang's attention was a little worse-for-wear but images from earlier that day helped get her through his antics. But where was Zuko?

He was always gone. Generally, when he and Aang were both gone, it meant that they were practicing, but Aang was here. So where could he be?

As if on cue, he strode casually into the house. He tilted his head slightly at everyone, locking eyes with Katara, to her pleasure, gestured for Aang to follow him, then walked out of the room and into the interior of the building. It was time for another practice session.

Aang huffed slightly and got up to join Zuko. Toph, Sokka and Suki carried on with their conversation while Katara stood and followed the other two out. Bending practice meant shirtless Zuko, and shirtless Zuko meant happy Katara.

She walked into the garden area where they normally practiced and sat on a fountain edge, eyes focused and seeking. There he was, bare from the waist up. His upper body looked so strong earlier, but now, when compared to Aang's small twelve year old body, he seemed built like a mature adult.

_The guy is a sex symbol!_

Katara smiled and blushed, remembering some girls talking about a guy back in Ba Sing Sei when she and Toph went out for a relaxing afternoon. Zuko had been there, if only she had seen him, understood that he was just trying to be normal, maybe things could have been different.

But, at least he was here now and she could spend time with him. Maybe not like how she wanted...or maybe? She was a young woman, and young woman had charm, that which was irresistible to young men.

* * *

The night was hot and humid. It seeped into her room so stifling that she had no choice but to bend the liquid in the air to cool her skin. When her walls froze and the heat vanished, it was a welcome relief, but it wouldn't stay like that for long, and the longer she had to keep bending, the less and less she would get sleep that night.

She bend cooling ice on the walls and settled in, hoping sleep would overcome her before the heat set in. As she lay still in the silence, a slight creaking sound came from her door, and she opened her eyes to figure out what was going on. In the dim light of the moon, she saw her door open and a figure slip into her room. Who ever it was shut her door quietly and walked in a few steps towards her bed.

The white skin of his upper body told instantly that it was Zuko sneaking in. She tried to calm her nerves and hoped he wouldn't notice she was awake.

_Oh spirits...I'm barely wearing anything!_

She had thrown her blankets off into the floor when she was thrashing around looking for comfort. Now, she was laying uncovered in only the thinnest wrappings she owned. A good splash of water and everyone, including Zuko, would be able to see her skin underneath.

But the thought of Zuko right now in her room looking at her bare legs and stomach, only sent waves of anticipation flooding into her chest.

The fire bender silently made his way closer to her, arms out and ready to catch her if she tried to run, but she wasn't going anywhere.

"I see the way you look at me, when you watch Aang and I practicing. And the way your hands stayed on my chest, I could tell you didn't want to take them away. Why don't you quit pretending Katara, and just let it happen. We're both mature enough to know what the other wants."

_Busted_.

His hands had settled on the bed either side of her and his left knee came up to lean on the mattress. She could feel his warmth radiating off of him and she suddenly felt cold in the room.

"Zuko..."

Katara barely got a whisper out when he leaned down to catch her lips. They were so soft and voluptuous, massaging hers in soothing motions. His taste and smell was like spiced quinces, sweet and bracing. She pushed herself up on her arms, her chest coming into contact with his. Zuko took his right hand and put it on her bare abdomen, tracing it up her stomach, over her ribs and under her breast wrappings.

His hand moved so delicately that Katara arched her back and sighed into his kiss, making him smile. He changed from massaging her lips with his to deep passionate open kisses, making Katara feel like they were trying to drink each other. His hand slid underneath the thin cloth and loosened some of the fabric, curving his fingers and palm around her soft shape. He started to gently knead her breast in his hand before taking his index finger and running it over her excited tip.

Katara's body seemed like it was working on it's own, she could think clearly enough to realize she had raised her own right hand and placed it upon Zuko's strong back, pulling herself up towards him. When he lowered himself to her, she pulled her knees up to his sides and slid her palm down his back, feeling the warmth generate as she moved. Fingertips slid down his left side and up to his front, tracing his muscles. She flipped her elbow inwards so she could place her hand palm up and fingers pointing to his waist band, searching for the line of hair she had been wanting to feel earlier that day.

When she came into contact with it, Zuko's body jolted against hers, pushing his hardness into her hips. Katara's mouth opened in surprise and Zuko took the moment to push her breast out from under her wrappings and slid his tongue and lips over her nipple.

"Mmmm, Zuko..."

"You like that, Katara?"

His heavy voice vibrated against her flesh causing sensations to rocket down to her lower stomach. Muscles relaxed in between her legs and tickling feeling began to rise in her. She nodded a few times and pressed her hips back against his as Zuko found the end of her wrappings and took them off. Her upper body now exposed, she knew it wouldn't belong before her lower body followed suit.

Leaning down on his elbows and took each breast in his hands, kissing her collar bone and working his way down to each mocha nipple. Katara sighed out and grasped Zuko's waistband, clutching it in both hands now. She needed him, she wanted him and she had to have him right now. He would take her frustrations and end them for good.

"Oh, Zuko...I want you!"

She pushed her hands down and his pants came with them. The fire bender moved his kissing from her chest and down to her belly, leaning back on his knees so he could see her. His pants were nearly off his hips when he leaned back and grabbed her wrists, holding her still.

"Shhh! I'll give you what you want, just let me do what I want first."

The water bender nodded at him and put her hands down, clutching the bed. She spread her legs wider as Zuko placed his hands at her hips and started to loosen her under wrappings. He slid them away and revealed her downy centre nestled amid her legs. Undoing the cloth, he released her from them and moved himself down, tossing the fabric away.

Her breathing became laboured again as she fought to control herself. Zuko's lips felt like they were burning into her flesh, but if they were, she didn't care. He snaked his way down to her hips and trailed his tongue along the indent between her hip and leg. Katara started to shake as anticipation threatened to burst from her chest, and nearly screamed out as Zuko's tongue slipped over her swollen clit.

Electricity shot through her entire body as pleasure, coiled up in her stomach, broke free, making her clutch tight and harder at the bed. Eventually she had to put a hand over her mouth as her moans became louder, control completely fading away. The way the fire bender's tongue danced around her sensitive tissues was enough to make her squirm and buck off the bed. He pushed himself up off the bed and put his hands on both of her hips, attempting to hold her down.

"Katara , you need to be quiet! If they find us...I couldn't imagine what your brother would do, or Aang, even. You need to control yourself."

The water bender glared at him and grabbed at his body hungrily.

"If you don't take me right now, I'll freeze you to the floor and take what I want from you!"

She pushed herself up to meet him and crashed her lips against his, pushing her right hand under his waist band and encircling his throbbing flesh. Zuko emitted a groan and pushed her down onto the bed, leaning on his left arm and pushing his pants off with the other. He kicked them to the floor and spread Katara's legs wide again, putting his thumb onto her clit and rubbing it in small circles. Her fluids had already flooded the area, making her slick and inviting. He moved his fingers down and pushed into her, aware she was still a virgin.

"This might sting a little, but I'll be gentle. You ready?"

She nodded through her ecstasy, breathing heavily from her mouth. Zuko eased himself up to her awaiting hips and rubbed himself into her fluids, coating his tip to make it easier for her. He pushed his hips slightly and felt himself slide into her part way. Katara moaned and cringed slightly, but arched her back to find the right angle. Zuko slowly slid the rest of the way in, her wet tissues not quite giving away as much he expected.

_She's just so turned on._

He started to move back and forth gently, feeling around inside her for her pleasure points. Katara ground her hips against him, quickly building up sensations in her centre. It wouldn't be long now before she erupted. Zuko bent down to catch her lips again and carried on with his rhythm, feeling her muscles tighten around him as he began to swell and become larger. _She's almost there._

His left hand came up to thumb at her bead again and he felt her insides tighten almost unbearably before she convulsed against his thrust. Katara's back bowed into him and she grasped onto his back, leaving deep furrows with her nails. Her insides dipped onto him, pushing back as he pushed in. Katara's contracting muscles and groans, coupled with her clawing at his back, took Zuko where he needed to go and he spilled himself into her, filling her body up with his fluids.

His throbbing inside of her triggered another orgasm to blossom, creasing her brow with pleasure. After a minute or so, Zuko relaxed gently onto her body, spreading himself out but keeping his weight off her. He smirked at the dazed smile on her face.

"So, you really wanted me?"

Katara sighed out in a long and slow breath. She opened her eyes and saw light pooling into her room. Blinking a few times to ward off the slumber, she brought her left hand up and placed it between her legs, rolling over onto her right side. Her fingertips met fabric and she huffed out in disappointment.

"Zuko...why couldn't you have come into my room last night?"

She put her face in her pillow, wishing her dream had been longer and wondering how she could dream up something she had never experienced before.


	3. Chapter 3

Katara reluctantly got out of bed, albeit in the slowest way possible. For all the world she just wanted to stay asleep and keep dreaming, because, no matter how many eyelashes she batted at him, how many times she bent over in front of him, nor how many times she smiled cheerily at him, Zuko was solid as rock. What did she have to do to get his attention? Waltz around stark naked in front of him?!

She exhaled angrily and got ready to get her day started. She resolved to get some kind of reaction out of him today, or at least, find something out about him.

After making breakfast for everyone, and excusing herself from eating, she patiently timed her chores in the kitchen around for when Zuko arrived. She had set aside two plates of food and retrieved them as he walked into the room. He looked from the plates on the table and then to her curiously, his held tilted slightly. She smiled and removed a chair to sit in.

"I was busy trying to clean the kitchen and decided to just wait until you came in to eat. At least then I wouldn't have to eat alone."

Zuko remained quiet as he nodded and took a seat on the opposite side she sat. His posture was formal and movements stiff as he slowly began to consume the food, face held down and right hand placed in his lap. There was a tension in the room that she couldn't understand and wondered if everything was alright

"Zuko? Is something wrong?"

The Fire Prince looked up at her, gold meeting cerulean. He didn't blink or speak as he shook his head from one side to the other. It wasn't exactly odd Zuko behaviour, but then again, she didn't really know much about him to begin with, and the things she did know...well some of it was things she could readily forget now, the others being things she was trying hard not to think of at this current moment.

"Well, you just seem...I don't know, down or something? Want to talk about it?"

He looked away from her, as if deciding what to say and dismissed it. Putting his chopsticks down and grabbing his plate, he stood and walked to the sink and began cleaning his own dish. Katara quickly got up and followed him, her hand a hair's breath away from his arm.

"Zuko please!..."

He turned and found himself mere inches away from her, her face wrought with concern. At first he just looked at her, but upon seeing her face, his brown bunched with confusion. She understood the look he gave her and knew very well this closeness she suddenly had with him wasn't very "Katara-like." At least, with Zuko it wasn't.

She looked away and bit her bottom lip, trying to search for the right thing to say, and then turned back to him.

"I...I just, remember you told me that if I ever needed anything, that I could come to you...er...that we could talk. And, it just looks like you need someone to talk to, so I figured that, since I already needed someone to talk to...well, we could, you know, talk...together."

Zuko looked down at he as she looked away again and then looked at the small amount of space between them, his one eyebrow rising high upon his forehead. He squeezed his eyes shut and shook his head in a tiny vibrating like motion, so quick she didn't even notice it.

He looked her over, how innocent and lost she looked right then with her right arm holding on to her left elbow and teeth chewing lightly on her lip. He couldn't help but smile slightly, clearing his throat.

"Yea. We can talk. I'm just really distracted about the month coming up. It's got me down but I know what my destiny is and what I must do. There is nothing I can do but prepare myself for it, no use staying so somber all the time. Come on, let's go for a walk and you can tell me what's got you down."

She smiled at him, her mood taking a complete turn around. He led the way out of the kitchen and through the back door, knowing that if anyone, especially Aang, saw them leaving together, they would immediately want to join in and disrupt their talk.

They left the grounds and entered the trees of the forest, quickly engulfed by the island greenery. She didn't know if Zuko knew where he was going or if he was just walking aimlessly. Either way, she eagerly followed him.

"So...did you used to play in these woods as a kid?"

He looked around at the tall palms and banana ferns, remembering a few fond memories with his uncle and cousin.

"Maybe, when I was really little, but most of the time I was with my uncle and cousin. But it was so long ago, I couldn't honestly tell you much about it."

"Well...you don't think we'll get lost?"

He met his gaze with hers, brow up in a questioning gesture. Did she sound a little hopeful there?

"We're on an island, Katara. A small island. If we get to the other side, we just follow the coastline back to the house."

Katara's mouth shaped into a small "o" and she nodded, feeling silly. A light blushed crept up her cheeks, making her realize how ditzy she must be sounding. Zuko started to move off to the left and she followed suit, seeing a fallen tree in a clearing.

The fire bender walked over to the tree and climbed up to sit down on the broad base. Katara climbed up the way he had and they sat a fee feet apart, legs crossed, looking out at the woods surrounding them, listening to the sounds of the jungle. Katara took in the calming lulls and breathed deeply.

"It's really peaceful out here. Like the world doesn't even know it is at war right now."

Zuko smirked and placed his hands on his knees, "That's because the world ISN'T at war. We are. Just because the humans are trying to destroy each other, doesn't mean the rest of the world should stop. Though it's been a long one, I'm sure there have been plenty other wars, and still life goes on."

Katara frowned for a moment, then thought deeper on his words. He did obviously make sense. Sokka understood it, that's why he didn't let anything get in the way of his feelings for Suki. And Aang was always trying to get her attention, though, at the worst times. Maybe...that's why she as well was starting to get these feelings.

It didn't matter if thoughts of the war took up the majority of her time, her body was still going to be a normal, human body regardless of what was going on around her.

"That really makes a lot of sense, actually. For so long all I have been thinking about was the war and what I think I should be doing and what others should be doing. It never occurred to me that people were going to be people despite all this. I always wondered how Sokka could be so cheery after everything we have all been through, but I guess he just doesn't think about it. And thinking back. Before we met Aang, we were nothing more than two kids from the Southern Water Tribe. This war has been going on now far longer than we have been alive. Obviously the world and everything in it was going to carry on."

Zuko frowned at her last words and picked up a leaf that had fallen near him. He inspected it before tossing it away to watch it fall in swirls to the ground.

"Yea, the world does carry on, but it doesn't mean everyone is happy. We keep going because we have to. That's why this war needs to end. People shouldn't be "surviving" in the world, they should be "living." We should not have grown up thinking this is how things SHOULD be, when we never got a chance to see how Life was before this madness was brought down on everyone. I will gladly sacrifice everything I will ever have to make sure the rest of the population is happy. And when Aang defeats Ozai and I become the new Fire Lord, that is exactly what I am going to do."

It suddenly dawned upon Katara that, even if they win and the war is over, there will still be people out there fighting for some cause or another. And people like Zuko, the future Fire Lord, ruler of an entire nation, will never know a moment's peace. His entire life has been that way, and it will always be that way.

Her mood dropped again and Zuko noticed, berating himself for even bringing up the subject. But they came out here to talk and that was what he was going to do.

"So, other than this entire thing, what has been getting you down?"

His sudden question baffled her and she had to pause to think about it. Now that she understood what HE was always thinking about, she felt really stupid to come clean with what she was always thinking about. Her face went red and she turned away, hands clasping awkwardly.

"...it's nothing. There are just...more important things to think about and deal with right now."

Zuko narrowed his eyes, trying to understand her meaning, "Obviously it is something that has been bothering you. Generally, people don't walk out into the woods with their ex-enemy for a simple conversation. Unless you just wanted to get away from everyone else?"

Katara tilted her head, indicating he had said something close to how she was feeling.

"Oh." He looked slightly surprised and reached to place a hand on the back of his neck, "Well...I guess it is understandable. I don't really hang around them except to teach Aang fire bending. I don't want to be any more of a awkward burden that what I have been."

He was definitely right there. They didn't exactly wheel out the welcome committee for him when he had first joined them. And she especially had made his time with them less than appealing. Sometimes anger made you the most naïve person, it's ironic how things were turning out.

"I definitely wouldn't say you're a burden now, that's for sure. You've got quite a few redeeming features..."

Zuko's brow bunched again and his eyes widened, "...? Oh yea? How so?"

Oh what a dangerous game of pai sho she had started. She felt the heat rise up to her face when he looked at her, knowing damn well what she had said could be taken in a myriad of ways. She gulped and looked around, her hands rising to stroke her long locks of hair and her eyes darting in different directions.

"Well...er...you've been more than helpful since the day you joined us. And though I wasn't exactly the nicest person in the world, I still took notice. If it weren't for you, Suki, and dad and everyone else would still be in jail."

She put her hands calmly together again, taking another deep breath, "You gave me closure on my mother. Even though you had nothing to do with it. I could have gone my whole life blaming you and not knowing how stupid I had been for doing so. I really meant it when I said I forgive you."

She smiled and looked at him, keeping her face pointed slightly down. He matched her smile and brought a knee up to his chest, placing his hands around it.

"Thank you, Katara. Knowing that I earned your forgiveness is one of the greatest accomplishments I could ever achieve. And I'm glad I've been given a chance to redeem myself with the others. Now my next redemption will be helping Aang master his fire bending and doing my part to bring balance to the world."

She nodded and turned to sit facing him, "So, after you become Fire Lord and help rebuild the world and everything, what are you going to do then?"

Zuko's answer came quicker than she had expected, "I'm going to look for my mother. She's alive somewhere, living in banishment. I want to restore her right to come in the palace and give her the life she always wanted. Even if she doesn't want to live there, I want her know that she would be welcomed back anytime as the Fire Lady everyone loved and respected."

Katara smiled through her sorrow, feeling hopeful and sad at the same time.

"I hope you find her, Zuko. I'd give everything if I knew I could have my mother back."

The Fire Prince looked at her and felt his strength falter. How many times was he going to put her on an up and down elevator of emotions?

"Katara, I'm sorry... Your mother gave her life for you. And when this is all over and you return a hero to your people, you can carry on with your life in the happiness that you deserve, the happiness she wanted for you. You and Sokka are her legacy and you will pass down the memories of her and what she did. The sacrifice she made and the hero she became."

Zuko watched her for a moment as she grasped both her arms around herself, nodded to his response. A droplet of liquid fell from her eyes, and much to Zuko's horror, he understood she was crying. If there was one thing he didn't want to do to Katara, it was to make her cry.

But she wiped her eyes and looked up at him, smiling.

"Thank you Zuko. I miss her, but I am proud of how strong she was and what she did to defend me. If it wasn't for her, none of us would probably be here now Trying to save the world."

He didn't quite know what to do at that moment. A good response would have been for him to give her a hug, but their history together didn't seem like it would permit such things. So he decided to change the subject again.

"Well...what about you? After this is all said and done and we win, what are you going to do? Are you going to go immediately home or are you going to fly around the world with Aang?"

"What?! Why? Why does everyone always think Aang and I are going to be together! I get it, I know he has a crush on me! He's made it pretty obvious, but it doesn't mean I like him the same way! That's part of the reason I am out here!"

She threw her hands up in frustration, fingers curled in a claw-like fashion. Zuko just stared at her in bewilderment, brow arched high and eyes narrowed.

"I was simply asking if you were going to join him in rebuilding everything the war has destroyed, since you'll be a hero. Or if you were going to go help rebuild your nation first...I didn't mean it as anything else..."

"...oh..." She couldn't decide if she felt ashamed of her outburst or if she was glad she got it off her chest. Zuko took the initiative to address the matter.

"So, you really asked me to come out here to talk about Aang?"

Her eyes widened at him and she crossed her arms in her lap, grasping her elbows again.

"Well...yes and no. I didn't...well it wasn't the entire point I asked you to come out here, but it definitely is something that has been bothering me. And I know that if I were to talk to someone else, they would either make it a huge deal or make fun of me for it. Suki would tell Sokka, and Sokka would tell Toph and I KNOW Toph would spill it to Aang. But I feel like I could trust you if I told you. I don't take you for some who has a loose conscience."

Zuko looked down at his feet and smiled, a feeling of pride welling in his chest. He looked back up at her and inquired.

"So I take it you're getting tired of Aang always trying to get your attention?"

"Well, yea. He's a twelve-year-old kid. The feelings I have and the feelings he has aren't the same, he wants to be cuddly and fluffy all the time. And sure, there isn't anything wrong with that. But...it's just, I don't know. Really awkward."

Zuko felt this was getting really personal really quickly, but decided to take a more mature and professional look at it, "I can understand where you are coming from. He doesn't understand dating is more than playing...kissy face and holding hands. And if he does...yea, that's extraordinarily awkward. Girls mature faster than boys, believe me. And if a kid like Aang can throw a tantrum the way he does, then, personally, he doesn't sound like he is ready for the kind of dating you are ready for...er...whatever that may be."

Katara glared mockingly at him, her hands coming to cross her chest, "What ever that may be? Tell me, Zuko, what IS "what ever that may be?"

The fire bender was at a loss for words. He had no idea what a teenaged girl, other than Mai, thought about dating, and she was usually as cuddly as a a dull, gloomy, calloused girl could be.

"...I honestly wouldn't know..."

Katara raised an eyebrow at him in disbelief, her month pinching together, "Right...and your girlfriend wouldn't have any idea about dating either?"

Zuko tried to distract himself from the uncomfortable feeling suddenly pulling at his chest, remembering his last vision of Mai. She had saved him and everyone else, and was thrown into jail for it. But why? Another other memory of her was always clouded by the same thing.

"Ex-girlfriend. And no, I don't guess so. I know she really liked me, sacrificing her freedom for me and even showing me a bit of emotion every now and again, but for the better part of our time together, it was always the same. She was gloomy when I wasn't there, and gloomy when I _was _there_. _Even when I tried my hardest to please her, she was still complaining that she was bored or sighing aloud, or just...complaining. Nothing I did was ever good enough..."

Zuko took another leaf from beside him and crumbled it together, tossing it to the ground. Katara felt like she had hit a nerve unintentionally and tried to figure out a way to bring back his confidence, without actually spilling out her secret. She rubbed her left arm and looked away, feeling her blush coming on beyond her control.

"Well...I'm no expert but, it sounds like she only liked you for outward appearances. Like, maybe she was only dating you because you were there? Maybe she didn't see just who was in front of her, only what was in front of her."

Now it was Zuko's turn to look at her in disbelief, but he had a better way of hiding it. When she looked back up to him, he was sitting straight up with his hands in his lap, just looking at her. But she understood the posture well, noting Sokka's looks of utter refusal.

"I'm just saying. It took you this entire time to make us understand you are a really great guy at heart. But she saw that long before we ever did. And yet, she still treated you as poorly as she did. It just seems to me she liked you for what she saw. Not for who you are."

Zuko crossed his arms and kept his gaze straight in her, a slight smirk playing on his features, "And what exactly did she see? A half-faced disgrace?"

Katara couldn't catch on until it was too late, falling right into his trap, "No! Of course not. But it wouldn't matter if you had half a face or not, it doesn't mar your looks. Matter of fact, it makes you unique. It makes you, well, you, and to be perfectly honest, you aren't a bad looking guy. At all..."

Katara's eyes shot open as her mouth dropped, realizing what she had said. Her immediate instinct was to grab her hair and run her hands through it, but she knew it would give her away. Instead, she just shut her mouth and kept eye contact with him. Zuko knew she felt embarrassed, but he didn't want to make her feel silly, though it was enjoyable.

He simply just shook his head and smiled, looking down at the ground below. Katara tilted her head at him, expecting some rebuke of sorts and hurriedly tried to save some face.

"Well, it's pretty obvious, Zuko. You know, you're a person of desired bloodline. You've probably been told your whole life that you had good looks, so it shouldn't be a surprise to you. You know it, we know it, the whole world knows it. It's only natural for someone to think that and give you a compliment..."

"Katara..."

"and, it only just makes me more human to give you a compliment. I'm not some crazy, strict, snobbish, nose in the air..."

"...Katara..."

"...You know, I can give a person a compliment if I want. I give Toph compliments, and she is mean and gross..."

"Katara!"

She shut off her rant and looked at him, mouth open in mid-sentence. He had his left hand outstretched to her, his brow bunched in submission and mouth in a half smile.

"Katara, I didn't say anything against you giving me a compliment. I only shook my head because a month ago, you threatened to kill me. And now you said I wasn't bad looking. I only found it a bit...surprising. That's all."

The water bender deflated and leaned into her lap, feeling quite foolish, "Oh...well"

"And I just wanted to say, since we are on the subject, that...you're really beautiful. I can understand why Aang likes you so much. Can't really blame the guy."

Katara's face burned rapidly, her ears feeling as if they had caught fire. Her fingers curled in to her palms, nails digging crescent shapes into the flesh.

Zuko had just said she was beautiful...Zuko called her beautiful!

She almost missed out on his last sentence and the recollection of _his _name brought her back to earth.

"But...I don't like him...I like someone else."

She said the last few words so quickly that Zuko barely understood them.

"You like someone else? Who?...er...well, I mean. You don't have to tell me."

Katara relaxed her hands and laid them upon her lap, palms facing the sky. She smiled and turned her eyes to him, trying not to look obvious, "Well, yeah, I like someone, and it's ok. I was just thinking. With everything you had said about life carrying on, I had an idea about it myself. It's pretty clear Sokka wasn't going to let the war ruin his chances at a happy life, so he made clear his feelings toward Suki. And I was thinking, why shouldn't I be the same way?

"Aang isn't letting his duties as Avatar get into the way of his feelings for me, but he doesn't understand there are other girls out there. Girls who like _him. _I just know that, there is someone out there for me, but I'll never know unless I let my feelings loose. So one day, I just opened my eyes and decided to look around. I met him a while back, but I let my other feelings get in the way of actually getting to know him. And now that I've come to realize that I do like this guy...I may have already ruined my chances with him because of everything that was going on then. And I don't want Aang's attention to distract me any more of thinking that this War is more important than my feelings."

Zuko listened to her, trying to decipher the right words to say. So this is what had been bothering her the entire time? She liked on a boy she had met a while back and now, might not ever know if he would have returned her advances.

He looked at her, glancing over her entire face and body, everything about her. She was strong and brave and smart, yet, caring, considerate and nurturing at the same time. Not to mention, she really, really was a beautiful girl.

"I think...I'm sure, that, had this guy known you had liked him that way, he would definitely have returned the gesture. He's very lucky to have caught your eye. If you like him, really like him, then I believe you should trust in your heart. It will lead you back to him, Katara. He's a fool if he doesn't like you the same way you like him."

The water bender took her bottom lip between her teeth again, trying vainly to hold back the tears threatening to spill from her eyes. She wanted so badly to get up and run to his arms, but couldn't yet bring herself to do it. Zuko had said everything she hoped he would, yet, was he saying it because he meant it, or was he saying it because he was just being a good friend.

"Do you really think I'm beautiful, Zuko?"

The Prince of the Fire Nation smiled and placed the tips of his fingers together from each hand, smiling genuinely at her, "Yes. I really do think you are beautiful, Katara."


	4. Chapter 4

Katara was literally on the verge of getting up and running to him, throwing her arms around his neck and living out one of her dreams, literally. What in all bleeding hell were you supposed to do when the one person you had a massive crush on just told you that he thought you were beautiful.

"I...don't know what to say, Zuko. I would never have thought a person like you would ever think someone like me would be pretty, much less beautiful."

The fire bender narrowed his eyes and looked up at her, smiling in confusion.

"Why would you think that? You don't need someone like me to tell you that you're a beautiful girl, Katara. I'm sure guys have been telling you that for a long time now.

"Well, yes and no. Aang says it all the time, but, well, it's Aang. And there was one other guy, but he didn't matter. It's just that, you're Zuko. You don't understand."

He chuckled, completely misunderstanding, "I know. I was once your enemy. The angriest most pent up guy in the world who would stop at nothing to catch the Avatar and take him home to restore honour to his name. Hearing something like that from someone like me must be quite unusual. I'd say it's more awkward than hearing it from Aang all the time."

Katara looked down at the ground, wishing he knew exactly how she felt and that he would take her in his arms, telling her everyday that she was beautiful.

"No, it isn't that. Not at all actually. You just don't understand what it means to me..."

Her statement caught Zuko completely off guard. He had no idea what she meant by this. Maybe she was considering the fact that he was a Prince, or had been, and that was why his opinion mattered? Surely that was it? What else could there be?

He opened his mouth to speak but was suddenly interrupted by a high pitched scream.

"KATARA!"

A gust of wind hit the pair on the tree, causing Katara to nearly fall off. She gripped the bark and righted herself before she toppled over. Aang fell from the sky with his glider in hand, landing in between them, face red and seething.

"Katara! Where have you been?! I've been worried sick looking all over for you!"

He turned around and pointed accusingly at Zuko.

"And you! What are you doing taking her way out here! You might have been captured! You didn't leave a note or anything, we would never have known what might have happened to Katara!"

Zuko glared up at him, pointing a finger to his own chest and opening his mouth to retort. But before he could get a word out, Katara was already up and pointing a rigid finger at the Avatar.

"Well YOU need to remember just WHO you are talking to!_ I AM_ a _Master Water Bender_! And _Zuko_ is a _Master Fire Bender_! We are perfectly capable of taking care of ourselves, Aang! Zuko knows this place better than any of us! If we want to take a walk out here and talk to each other, then we WILL! And there is NOTHING you can say about it!"

With her hands clenched at her sides, eyes blazing and lips tightly shut, Aang knew there was no further discussion. He deflated slightly, then looked from Katara to Zuko and back again.

"Well...you still should have left a note." He directed it to Zuko, as the fire bender tensed. Then continued, face held down, "I'm sorry. I just care about you too much, Katara, to wait around and hope that everything is ok."

He looked up at the water bender, unshed tears glistening in his eyes. She was taken back a bit, feeling almost ashamed for yelling at him. But before she could say anything, he had opened his glider and jumped into the air. He was soon lost to sight amongst the large leaves of the tree tops.

Katara watched him depart before turning her eyes to the ground, and then to Zuko. His face was turned away in shame, the word of he Avatar marking deeply on his conscience. Katara didn't quite know what to do. Aang was right in that they should have left a note at least, but his emotions had gotten the better of him. There was no reason he should have been yelling at them. They _were _Master Benders. She and Zuko were powerful benders. Zuko was a Powerful Bender._  
_

"What...?"

Zuko looked up at her sudden question, his brow slightly curved in confusion, "Hmm? I didn't say anything?"

Katara looked at him, eyes wide with surprise. She couldn't believe she just thought that. He gave her a confused glance before getting up and dropping from the tree, landing lightly on his feet.

"We should probably get back. If everyone is looking for us then they obviously have something important to discuss. Come on."

Katara nodded and looked for a way to get down, bending to her knees and inspecting the side of the tree. As her eyes went down to the ground, Zuko looked back up and exhaled, a smirk dancing on his lips. He walked over to where she was looking and stood there, hands out and palms up.

"Just jump, Katara. It isn't that far."

She lowered her brow and stood up, hands on her hips, "Yeah, sure, maybe for you it isn't. But I don't exactly make it a habit of mine to climb up tall places and jump off them for fun."

Zuko put his fingers to the bridge of his nose, but smiled and looked back up, "Just jump. If it is really so bad for you, then...I'll catch you. All you have to do is jump."

The thought of being in his strong arms, if even for a moment, was all too enticing. But she played it off as something she wasn't looking forward to.

"Pbbff! Suddenly the Prince Charming. You think landing on you makes jumping from this height any better? Because either way, I'm still falling straight down."

He scoffed at her and looked away, gesturing outwardly with his left hand.

"Well if that's how you feel then fine. I'll meet you back at the house."

He took a step back and began to turn but Katara cried out, stopping him in his tracks, a sly smile on his face. He disguised the look and glanced back up at her.

"No, wait, Zuko! Don't go...I'll jump. But, you better catch me!"

The fire bender held his hands up again as Katara readied herself to drop. In all honesty, it wasn't that far down, but the chance for his closeness was too good to pass up. She took a deep breath and aimed right for his chest, stepping off the tree without bothering to jump.

Her feet never touched the ground as she came to an abrupt stop, hands catching on sinewy shoulders and a pair of vice like arms wrapping around her middle. Her sparkling blue eyes locked with his shining golden ones and stayed there, lost in their depth.

Zuko's eyebrow arched high upon his forehead, staring at her in confusion. Her face was only inches away from his, eyes half-lidded and lips parted. She looked almost...seductive. His eyes slowly widened, as best that they could.

"Er...Katara?...Everything alright?"

Her chest nearly heaved into his, breath coming in long intakes through her nose. She was literally holding her feet off the ground. His body was just so firm and rippling. His hold was strong but gentle, like holding her up was nothing to him. Katara finally snapped back reality and touched toes to earth, gripping his shoulders.

"Oh... OH! Sorry. I...ah..."

She let go his shoulders, though reluctantly and turned, walking quickly back along the path they had made. Her heart was beating erratically as she tried to keep her lips from curling into a deep smile. Zuko watched her walk off, and scratched his temple, unsure of what just happened. A strange feeling began to drill it's way into his chest, so strange and yet so...

He exhaled and started following her, trying to keep his eyes down, but content with allowing himself a small smirk and glancing back and forth from the ground to her nicely curving figure.

.

.

Suki was the only one standing on the back porch of the lodge to notice the shy smile and red suffused cheeks when Katara had made her way back to the house. She narrowed her eyes and pinched her brow, arms crossing over her chest. Oh yeah, she knew that look, alright. But who...

The Kyoshian's mouth dropped open in shock and her hands went to her hips as she saw Zuko walk out of the forest, a few yards behind Katara.

"No way!"

"What way?"

Sokka stood beside his girlfriend, eating something he had found in the kitchen. She started and looked at him, then looked back, trying to figure up a cover.

"Uhm...nothing. I thought I saw something but I guess it was er...just Zuko coming out of the forest."

The warrior took the excuse and shrugged, "Meh. These Fire Nation woods have all sorts of weird things in them. They're just like the people. Now that Katara and Zuko are back, we should tell everyone what we found. But let's wait after dinner this evening. I'm hungry."

His girlfriend nodded and followed him back into the house.

.

.

"I just don't understand. All I ever did was care about her and worry about her. I like her, Toph. I mean, _more_ than like! Yet she goes off into the woods without telling anyone, and with _Zuko_! She doesn't even _like Zuko_!"

Aang was pacing around the grounds, hands holding his head. Toph was reclining on the ground near Appa, picking at her toes and listening to the monk's ranting. Sometimes he could be so naïve.

"Look Twinkletoes. Just because you feel a certain way about someone, doesn't mean they will feel the same way back. The sooner you get that through your head, the better off you will be. Katara can do what ever she wants, you aren't her minder. If she wants to take a quiet walk into the jungle with Sparky, well, then she will. If there was anyone who has a say so, it's Snoozles, her _brother_. And he doesn't seem to mind at all. So there is nothing you can do about it. Also, running away to throw a tantrum isn't helping your cause. You just need to face the situation and deal with it."

She huffed and went quiet, meaning that the discussion was over. Aang put his hands over his face and sat down in defeat, mind riddled with lost hope.

.

.

Zuko lay in his room, looking up at the ceiling and pondering the events of the morning. Every thing he and Katara had talked about swirled through his mind, lingering on a few subjects of considerable interest.

Mai. What she had done for him must have taken everything for her. Even after he had left her in that prison cell, she still risked it all just to save him.

But why? Why did she care about him? Other than the few times when they were alone, did she ever show him any kind of real interest. Any other time, she was completely distant and emotionless. Other than being completely bored, that is. Why _did _she like him if nothing he ever did or tried to do was good enough for her?

The Prince exhaled and stared at the intricate lines carving their way through the ceiling tiles.

Then there was that last fleeting moment. It gnawed at his conscience, trying to work it's way into his immediate thoughts. But he wouldn't allow it. It was stupid to even think such a thing.

Katara liked some guy he would never know. She liked some guy she didn't even think she would ever see again. What is that like? To have a crush on someone? Does she think about him all the time? Does she wonder what he is doing at any given moment?

Does she think he is with anyone by now?

The thought twisted Zuko's chest. Thinking about how she would feel if she found out the guy she liked was with someone, in love with someone else. Katara's saddened faced swirled around in his mind, making him frown.

The poor girl, she obviously thought about him, why else would she feel it important enough to talk about? But what could she do? What could he, Zuko, do?

Another slow exhale.

He didn't understand how the guy wouldn't have fought for it, had he known there could have been something between he and Katara.

She was so beautiful, it was true, and once someone got to know her, they could tell it was both inside as it was outside.

Her sparkling blue eyes and radiant smile. She was exotic and humble at the same time. Comfort and brilliance, exciting and calming all at once. If he was that guy she was talking about, had met her back then, not trying to fight her, and knew there was even an inkling of a chance that they could have been together, he would have fought for that. Bloody oath, he would have fought.

"What?"

Zuko sat up suddenly, blinking his wide eyes and shaking his head. He put his fingers to the bridge of his nose and pinched his eyes shut, "No...no...what are you thinking. Are you crazy? She wants nothing to do with you."

He paced around his room, eyes glued to the floor. He was letting his thoughts get the best of him in this small space. Maybe spending time with the others would brush away these feelings from his conscience.

The Fire Prince opened the door to his room and stepped out, moving quietly down the hallway in the direction of the living room.

.

Once in the front room, he found Sokka and Suki looking over a piece of paper, Toph and Aang were no where to be found, as well as Katara. She was probably in her room or outside practicing. Maybe he should be practicing? Forgoing the thought of sitting on the couch, he exited through the front down and walked around the house, choosing to practice in the garden area.

He was brushing off his shirt and turning his face forward when he suddenly collided with an unknown force. Hands immediately shot out to grab at what ever he could to keep from falling back.

Instead of hard wall or rough tree bark, his fingers came into contact with softness, smoothe fabric covering a petite curving form. As his eyes focused, he suddenly found himself lips to forehead with Katara.

Her face was a bright red, eyes shining maniacally through her blush. She was wide eyed and frozen, gripping the back of his shirt tightly as he held he, hands splayed across her back. If Sokka or the others walked in on this moment, they would think they had interrupted a very intimate moment between the two.

Zuko's immediate reaction was to pull his face away from her and let go, stepping back quickly and trying to string out a series of embarrassed apologies.

The water bender rose an eyebrow at him, gave him a sly smirk, and put her hands on her hips.

"You know Zuko, if you wanted another hug, you could have just asked me. You didn't have to pretend to bump into me just so you would get the chance to hold me again."

The fire bender was at a loss for words. There was no way Katara could be joking right now...

But as he stood there dumbfounded, her smirk split into a wide grin, laughter permeating the silence. She chuckled for a bit longer before crossing her arms over her chest and clucking her tongue at him, eyes rolling to the left.

"You're so serious all the time, Zuko. So where were you headed? Going to practice your bending?"

The Prince blinked a few times before finding his speech and pulling himself back together, "..er...yeah, well, I was going to. But I don't know where Aang is."

"Well, why don't you and I practice?"

"Like a duel?"

She rolled her eyes again and smiled, then place one brow down over her eye, "No, I mean I want you to teach me how to firebend. Of course a duel. Come on."

She grabbed a hold of his right hand and led him back the way she had come, Zuko's eyes glancing from his hand in hers and then to her form in front of him. What was going on?

He felt a movement and looked down to see that she had interlaced her fingers with his. His pulse pounded in his veins but he forced himself to make sense of the situation.

_You are her friend now, Zuko. She feels comfortable around you and is only treating you just like any other friend, no different than Toph, or Suki, or...whomever. Only difference is, you're a guy, that's all._

But he couldn't stifle a gulp as she kept tight hold of his hand. She really didn't have to do this, he would follow her where ever she asked.

.

_Oh spirits! He's letting me hold his hand! I can't believe it! We're holding hands! I wonder what else I can do?__..._

Various images raced through Katara's head as she hurried along with Zuko in tow. The more she thought about him, the tighter her fingers wrapped around his. And through it all, he said nothing. Whether he cared to question her antics or not, he remained tight lipped.

It only gave her more confidence.

They skirted past the garden where Zuko and Aang normally practiced, making the fire bender glance back at it in confusion. Just where was she going?

As if sensing his question she turned back and reached for his other hand to pull him along, emitting a quiet gasp from him, "You guys always practice in the garden, but there isn't enough water there. I can sense a freshwater stream somewhere close by, so that's where we should go."

"Yeah but, didn't Aang just yell at us for not telling anyone where YOU were?"

She stopped pulling and stood in front of him, palms ghosting against each other, "Well luckily I left Sokka a note. I said I would be out practicing. You're always gone every morning and no one says a thing. So they shouldn't mind if you and I were practicing together."

This girl really was something else. How long had she noticed him being absent in the morning? Zuko shrugged and let his guard down, curiosity begging to over ride his judgement. He was seventeen after all, he should be acting like it.

He allowed her to hold his hand all the way to the stream that she had been talking about, remembering it as one he and Azula used to go and shoot at fish with their fire bending. He would kick himself for that if he could, recalling the stint at the North Pole. But he was here with Katara now and things were different.

Far different.

He felt the grip on his hand slacken as she let go to look around. It was essentially the same stream from all those years ago, but now it was wider and larger, years of water wear digging out the earth. An incline and a small sandy beach of sorts had forced it's way where there used to be a straight drop into the water, a nice spot to carry a duel. He took in the view before turning back to say something to Katara, but words never escaped his lips.

She had undressed, stripping off her top and discarding it on the sand. Zuko's breath caught in his throat as she stood in only her chest wrappings, and proceeded to take off her leggings, leaving just the white cloth she used to cover herself with.

Her body was divine, as he knew, but she was only in her very last bt of clothing!

"Ah...K-katara? What..er...are you doing?" He swallowed nervously, feeling the blood in his body begin to rush and pool in very unwanted places. Ths had never happened to him before, he knew she disrobed to practice, but...why was she doing this now and why did it have such a strong effect on him?

The water bender smirked and put her hands on her hips, "Taking off my shirt and leggings so they don't get ripped or torn, or in your case, burned. You should do the same."

He put his hand on the back of his neck, rubbing it ruefully as his face progressively reddened, eyes wandering everywhere but her, "Don't you think it would be better to rip your shirt and have your wrappings as a last resort? Because if your wrappings get torn...I mean...it's one strip of cloth. One tear and the whole thing is coming off..."

Katara's smirk widened and her brow lowered boldy as she gestured to her body with her left hand, "What's wrong, Zuko? Am I too much for you?"

Zuko's eyes popped open as he fully looked at her. She laughed out again and held her hands up in submission, "You are so funny when you don't know what to say! It's alright, Zuko. I trust you. Now, are we going to duel or are you just going to stare at me all day?"

Zuko shook his head, trying to clear his mind and nodded at her, grabbing the belt of his shirt and undoing it. Plastering a determined look on his handsome face, her opened the front of his shirt and exposed his well muscled body, sliding the silk fabric off his shoulders. Katara's eyes lit up as she watched him, trying hard not to heave in air as she stilled her muscles from running to him.

Zuko kicked off his boots and placed them next to his shirt, disregarding them. He could feel her eyes still on him but dismissed any other thought than fighting.

He turned to her and bowed, hands forming the symbol of his nation. She gestured back at him before raising her hands and summoning a wave of water, launching it at him. The prince deftly dodge the attack and advanced on her, hurling fireballs in quick succession. Katara formed a wall of water and danced behind it, evading the attacks as water sizzled in front of her. If there was one thing she truly appreciated Zuko for, it was his ability to treat her as an equal. He never held back.

They fought on for a while longer, returning blows and dodging attacks. Katara's technique had advanced well beyond their first fight in the North Pole, but she was no match for his endurance. He was like a machine, never giving in. She suspected his years of military training, or his royal upbringing. He probably never had time to just relax. She, on the other hand, wasn't built with the stamina Zuko had. She began to tire as she swirled water around, using it to catch and swat at his fire in mid-air.

She was in the middle of a complex maneuver when a sudden whip of fire struck close to her shoulder, the heat hot against her flesh. She cringed and dropped the water she was bending, drenching herself with it. Zuko paused briefly as he watched the water rain down on her, soaking through her white bindings.

The pressure of his blood surging through his veins became almost unbearable as he saw her dark skin begin to show through the wet cloth.

"Oh..." He couldn't remove his eyes from her as she stood, bending the water from her clothes and running towards him, a water whip forming in the air above her.

The moment that Zuko had froze, looking at her, had given her enough time to refocus her attack. She advanced quickly as he stood stunned. She through her whip forward and enveloped his left leg, hauling him up in the air and tossing him.

The fire bender let out a yelp of surprise as his feet left the ground. He landed a few yards away from where he last stood, the sand breaking his fall. Katara had been busy watching as she hurled him through the air, that she didn't notice the red and gold shirt and boots laying in the sand until it was too late. She was running forward and tripped over his boots, legs caught up and momentum carrying her.

She was flung forward, landing heavily upon Zuko as he hit the sand. The breath was nearly knocked from him as her full weight hit his stomach and chest. He coughed momentarily, desperate to reclaim air. Katara lay cheek to chest on him, draped over his body. She had her eyes closed tightly, but they were jarred open as he coughed. She lifted her head to look at him, hands grasping his strong arms.

"Spirits Zuko! Are you alright?!"

She brought her knees up and under herself, straddling his waist and raising her hands from his biceps to cup his face. She looked into his eyes, inspecting him for any injury. She left his face and moved her hands over his body, touching gingerly to his chest and ribs, using her bending to feel for any rushing fluids or broken bones.

When she didn't find anything, she dropped her hands to his wrists and lowered her head back to his chest, listening to him breathe.

"Strewth, Zuko. I thought I had hurt you! I was so worried."

The Fire Prince could not believe what was happening right now. He had no idea how to react to the situation except that she was sitting on a very awkward place and she was laying on top of him. For all the world he was sure this looked awfully provocative. But damnit if this just didn't feel...good.

"Katara. I'm alright. Are you alright?"

His hands snaked up her wrists and gripped her arms. She took her head from his chest and looked into his eyes. He searched her face, seeing only worry and concern.

Agni. He knew she was a caring person, but she looked thoroughly upset about this.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I just didn't mean for this to happen. I'm sorry."

She rested her head back on his chest and put her hands at his sides, squeezing them in a form of a hug. Zuko clamped his eyes shut, and then opened them, trying to figure out the best approach to this. She was still straddling him, and holding close to him. Agni it felt just right. Her sweet smell, her light frame resting on him. He had never felt anything like this before, laying close to someone in the sand. To be perfectly honest, he felt like he could lay like this forever. But he knew once Katara had fully come to her senses, she would scramble away, berating herself for acting that way. And he would never feel this feeling again.

Zuko took his left hand from her arm and placed it gingerly upon her back, pressing down ever so gently. It was his way of giving a hug without being too obvious. But Katara felt it and she brought her eyes up to look at him again, blue eyes dark and hopeful.

"Zuko..."

Her face rose slowly to level with his, eyes sweeping over his chin, lips, and nose before falling onto his own, pupils dilated and unfocused. This was it. She was going to do it. She had to! She was going to place her lips against his and she was going to reveal her feelings toward him! It was the right time! She knew it!

She wanted to feel his warm hands all over her body, exploring her depths, feeling her heat. She want him to be her first, last, and only! For Tui's sake she could definitely feel him pressing against her sensitive centre already!

"Katara! Hey Katara! Where are you?! Suki and I have something we want to show everyone! Ooppff!"

The sounds of her brother calling through the trees and crashing into some undergrowth threw all hope down the drain. The moment was ruined.

.

.

**_When the world gives you another Chapter, you give them LEMONS!_**


	5. Chapter 5

Katara swiftly scrambled off of Zuko's chest, trying to reach her clothes and get into them before her brother found them. Zuko got to his feet and hurried over to his boots and shirt, sliding into the silk fabric and tying the waist belt deftly around his middle. He brushed the sand from his boots but kept them off, waiting to clean the sand from them later on. Katara, now re-dressed in her fire nation clothes, followed suit, leaving her sandals off.

She brushed sand from her clothes as Sokka came crashing through the leaf litter, grumbling to himself. The water bender shook her head, remembering the Swamp.

"Bloody trees...stupid vines...Katara!"

He looked up, cutting his yell off quickly, "...Oh, there you are. And Zuko... You two...were practicing together?"

The warrior looked with an eye brow raised, from his sister to Zuko, who stared at him for a second before nodding. Katara walked up to her brother, distracting his attention from the fire bender.

"Yeah, we thought it would be good practice, you know, to duel each other. Especially since we'll be fighting, well, you know, mostly fire benders, we figured it would be best... But what were you needing?"

Sokka dismissed the whole situation, pulling a leaf from his shoulder, "Oh, well, in that case, proceed. But Suki and I came across something while we were in town. We thought we would show you guys after dinner. Come on."

The self-proclaimed leader gestured for them to follow and led the way back to their lodge. Katara could barely keep to her side of Sokka as she walked along, but Zuko stubbornly kept to his side of her brother with his face down and eyes distracted by everything on the ground, much to the water bender's chagrin.

.

Eventually they arrived to their destination and walked in to find everyone in the front room. Aang's eyes went up to Katara at once and his face paled as she turned away from him. Following her was Zuko, who's presence made the pink colour return to the Avatar's cheeks, and then deepen to a darker shade.

Having noticed the immediate change to the young monk, Zuko strayed in the opposite direction of his training partner, making a bee-line for stairs to his room.

Suki was standing in the entryway of the kitchen, coyly watching the entire episode being laid out before her. Nothing slipped passed the clever young warrior, not even Aang's silent fuming. She knew exactly what was going on, even if two of the participants hadn't quite caught on yet. But, just to be sure, she was going to do a little investigating.

"Hey Katara! Would you mind helping me in the kitchen? I'm about to prepare dinner and could use a helping hand."

Katara turned slightly to catch a last glimpse of Zuko exiting the room before sweeping her eyes over her brother striking up a lively conversation with Toph and Aang. With another look from the air bender, she turned to her friend and nodded, moving towards the kitchen.

"Yeah, sure, I'll help. What do you want me to do?"

"Well," the witty warrior smiled as an idea struck her suddenly, "how about you get a nice fire going so we can boil some water. But I lost my flint rocks so, you'll have to make the flame yourself."

Katara looked around searching for an answer, before smiling and holding up a finger. Suki grinned as she expected to hear the Prince's name being called.

"That's alright, I know just the person who could help us."

She turned towards the living room and yelled out, "Hey Toph! Think you could find Suki's flints? We need to start a cooking fire!"

Aang quickly got up and ran to the kitchen, a hopeful look on his face.

"I can get it for you Katara! Here, let me!"

As he produced a small flame in his palm, a pair of slate-coloured rocked floated past him, landing neatly in the water bender's right hand.

"...er...oh, well here they are! I'll light the fire now. Thanks Toph!"

She turned away in a hurry, rejecting him completely. The Avatar's shoulder slumped and he returned to the living room, defeated. Ever the observant one, Sokka nodded his head in understanding, patting his friend on the back as Aang sat down beside him.

"No worries, Buddy, I know how you feel. I can't bend fire, at all!"

He nodded his head again, looking for all the world, like a young version of Uncle Iroh. Aang simply sighed out in dejection.

.

Back in the kitchen, Katara lit a small fire in a pit and placed a medium cooking pot above it, warming up some water. She joined Suki a long table, where the warrior leader was cutting up some vegetables for stew. The Kyoshian was trying to figure out a conversation where Katara might slip any information about Zuko.

"So...you seemed like you had a pretty...productive day?"

Katara turned her face towards her brother's girlfriend, a glazed expression lingering in her eyes, "...hmm?...er, what?"

"Today. You were gone most of the afternoon. I'd say you were having a good time, ay?"

"Well...," Katara smiled, before narrowing her eyes in suspicious confusion, "...what do you mean?"

Suki grinned and shrugged, "Oh. It's...well you've just been, I d'know, out of it lately. You haven't been all that focused, like you were really frustrated or something. Then I told you to go for a relaxing walk and it seemed to clear you up a bit. And then today, you seemed like you were smiling all of a sudden. I'm just glad to see you enjoying yourself again, for whatever reason..."

"Oh. Yea, I kind of was out of it. I was just a bit distracted, that's all."

Suki saw her chance and took it, "Distracted? By what?"

Katara's eyes widened with embarrassment. She stumbled for something to say, "I..er...it's...er...it was nothing, really."

Suki stopped what she was doing and turned to the water bender, a disbelieving look on her face, "Oh yea? Sure doesn't sound like nothing, by the way you're stuttering over your words. Come on, Katara. It's me here, you can tell me anything. Just between us older girls."

Katara looked away and smiled, a blush creeping onto her face. She kept her mouth stubbornly shut. Suki inquired further, emboldened by her friend's reaction.

"I'm just saying, talking can really help a girl out. It gets the pressure off your chest. Trust me, I know what it's like. Besides, it couldn't possibly be all that bad."

The water bender mulled over Suki's words. It _would _be nice to talk to someone, especially another girl. And Suki _was _the Kyoshi Chieftain. She would definitely have experience with this kind of thing. But...it wasn't just any boy she liked.

"I-I d'know. It definitely would be nice to get some advice but..."

"Oh Katara..."

She chewed her bottom lip, trying hard to hold the smile threatening to break her. She looked over her shoulder, at the stairway where the fire bender vanished. It was just the reaction the warrior was expecting. She dropped the bombshell instantly.

"So, I'm taking a wild guess at this but...this distraction wouldn't happen to be a boy...would it?"

Suki grinning maniacally as Katara made a sharp intake of breath, "It IS! Oh I knew it! I knew it the moment I saw-"

Katara quickly clapped a hand across her friend's mouth, muffling her words. She hissed out, looking over her shoulder, eyes wide and hoping the others hadn't heard.

"Shhhh! Suki! I don't want the others knowing!"

She looked back at the Kyoshian, brows pinching together, "Wait, how do YOU know?"

She took her hand from the girl's mouth as Suki stood straight, grinning cheekily.

"I saw you. You came out of the woods today and Zuko was following you. The smile on your face was priceless. Then I saw the look on _his _face and I knew something was up. How long has this been going on?"

Katara placed her hands on her hips, trying to look stern, but couldn't keep the pose. Her face was bright red as a smile curled her lips, "Well...nothing is actually going on...but it doesn't mean I don't _wish _something was. We talked for a while, until Aang interrupted us. And it couldn't have come at a worse time..."

She looked away in aggravation. Suki nodded in understanding, "Yeah, Aang seemed a bit off this afternoon. He wasn't his chipper old self. So you guys didn't get to like...kiss or anything?"

"Ugh...no. But I'm sure if we would have kept talking, something might have happened. I told him how I felt about Aang always trying to push his advances on me, but that I liked a boy I met a while back. He said that if he were that boy, he would have fought for my affection instead of just letting it go. Oh Suki, if he only knew! He, he said I was beautiful."

Suki grabbed Katara's hands and smiled brightly, "I'm so happy for you! Now the only thing you need to do is get some alone time with him and see where it goes."

"Suki! It's not like I want to jump him! Strewth, I'm not _that _sort of girl..." Katara grinned and rolled her eyes in the opposite direction. Suki tilted her head and smirked, arms crossing over her chest.

"Uh-huh, right. Well you'll find out soon enough what kind of girl you are when it comes down to it. And don't worry. I'll make sure to keep Sokka off your back and Aang from bothering you as much as I can."

Katara continued preparing the food and shrugged, "Well, I _have _had some dreams...and today I DID sit on his bare chest when I was only in my wrappings."

The warrior's eyes opened wide hysterically, eliciting laughter from the water bender. They two girls continued with there preparations and finished dinner a while later.

.

Everyone sat around the front room, enjoying the stew and meat Suki and Katara had cooked. The warrior couple sat together with Aang placed between Sokka and Toph. Katara conveniently arrived in the room later than everyone else and managed to procure a seat on the sofa next to Zuko. She smiled shyly at him, to his puzzlement, but returned the gesture, albeit a bit awkwardly.

They ate in comparative silence, before Sokka, having finished his food quicker than everyone else, produced a rolled up parchment and held it up.

"Alright everyone. We were wanting to save this for after dinner and let me tell you, you guys are not going to believe this, but, there's a play about us!"

Katara put a hand forward in question, her face displaying confusion, "What? How could that even be possible?"

He unrolled the poster and displayed it for everyone, sans Toph, to see. Suki gestured to the depiction of Aang, Katara and Sokka posing in the foreground, with Zuko's burned face in the background.

"Yea! We were in town getting supplies, and found the poster! Just listen to this!"

She took the parchment from Sokka and read aloud the contents on the page, starting at a paragraph about "The Boy in the Iceberg," to joining the siblings in the South Pole, and ending on their arrival in Ba Sing Se. Sokka chimed in at the end to provide the performers.

"Brought to you by the critically acclaimed "Ember Island Players," whoever they are."

Zuko shook his head and placed his bowl aside, "Ugh, them? My mother used to take us to see them in theatre. They butchered _Love Amongst the Dragons_ every year. I wouldn't advise it."

He looked at the group across the room, following the faces until he noticed a pair of bright, cerulean blue eyes staring back at him intently from the corner of his right eye. He turned his face to fully look at Katara, holding her gaze for a moment too long. His face began to heat up as they stared back at one another, the awkward feeling of not Katara looking at him, but everyone else noticing their little moment.

The fire bender broke away and turned his eyes and face to the floor before grabbing his bowl and heading to the kitchen. Sokka shrugged and carried on the announcement.

"Well, regardless, I think an evening at the theatre would be a wacky, time-wasting nonsense we've ALL been missing!"

He held up the poster higher and praised it. Katara shook her head and looked away towards the kitchen entrance where Zuko was standing. She caught a movement to her right and noticed Suki was gesturing. She slyly pointed at the water bender and pushed her thumb in Zuko's direction. She then tilted her head towards the poster, crossing her index and middle fingers together. Katara thought for a moment, with her eyes moving slowly back and forth, and then her eyebrows went up in realization. She grinned softly with the right side of her face.

"You really think it will be a good idea to attend a play about ourselves, Sokka?"

Her brother looked behind the parchment at her and nodded with a big smile.

"Ah yea, I think it will be a _great_ idea!"

.

An hour or so later, the group was striding into the higher levels of an ornate theatre. Far below them, a stage was set up with a big maroon curtain hiding the set behind and Suki lead the way to the bench seats and sat one row away from the safety railing. Toph and Katara took a seat next to each other in front of the couple.

Aang was quickly making his way towards the water bender's left, but before he could fully claim the spot next to her, Zuko casually appeared from Toph's right and cut off the air bender, placing himself next to Katara.

Aang stood back up and pointed to the seat, scratching his temple with his right index finger under the tall hat covering his tattoos.

"Hey er...I wanted to sit there..."

Zuko eyed him from under the heavy hood of his red and gold cloak, "Just sit next to me, what's the difference?"

"I was...just...well, I wanted to...ok." He sat back down with his hands in his lap, defeated once again.

Katara tried hopelessly to keep from glancing at Zuko, but realized more and more than he probably couldn't see her from the hood blocking his view. It left a good deal of time available for to look at him without him knowing. There was only one problem she could find.

Toph.

The earth bender could probably feel her heart pounding with anticipation in her chest when Zuko sat beside her instead of Aang. She prayed that the blind bender would assume it was anxiety from the play, and not because of her crush. But even is she did feel Katara's heart beating like a drum, she seemed unconcerned about it.

"Why are we sitting in the nosebleed section? My feet can't see a thing from way up here!"

Katara turned and leaned to her, sliding her left hand to the bench, "Don't worry, I'll tell your feet what's happening."

Eventually the lights dimmed all around them as the show got started.

It was a dream come true. Sitting so close to him in the dark of the theatre, only a few inches in between them. She noticed her hand was perilously close to his leg and hoped beyond hope that when he took his hand from his knee, he would incidentally place it upon hers.

She didn't notice as the performers acted out their less-than-passable representations of the siblings. All she could think about was the warmth coming from the boy beside her. She concentrated on it, wanting to feel it closer to her, consuming her.

Katara watched him with her peripheral vision, wanting badly to see his handsome face. And almost as suddenly as she wished it, Zuko's hood slid from his head to lay on his shoulders as he shifted in his seat.

She turned her head slightly to gather a better view of him, but before she could catch herself staring, Zuko's golden eyes latched on to her. He faced her with a questioning look, raising his right eye brow.

Thinking quickly, Katara mouthed the words "Thank You" to him and pointed to Aang. Zuko followed her finger with his eyes and then turned back to her, his right eyelid slowly opening to look at her fully. He nodded once and mouthed "Your Welcome" to her.

They sat looking at each other, hearts thundering audibly in their ears. It seemed like an eternity before either one moved, but Katara wouldn't have complained if they could have stayed like that forever.

She just wanted to study his strong features a little while longer, but was delighted when his eyes softened and he smiled. She felt her face begin to react the same way, mouth corners pulling taught into curl. She watched as Zuko looked away, down at his hands, and then focused on the stage below, still smiling.

_Ah, Tui. I wish we were alone, just the two of us in this big theatre, to enjoy each other. Why can't he just understand how I feel about him?!_

On stage, the performers were revealing Aang, who was portrayed by a girl. Beside Zuko, the real Aang was becoming more and more aggravated as the show wore on. Katara couldn't help but smile at the actress Aang's antics, though she did her best to ignore her own portrayal.

However, as each scene was played out, she found herself less and less enthused, with even the distraction of Zuko at her left dimming in her mind. Even when the Actor playing Zuko turned out to be far more humorously accurate than the other Ember Island players, Katara still found herself wishing she had opted out for the event.

All in all, it was turning out to be a serious bust. And the worst part was only beginning.

.

Katara's nails dug into the bench she was sitting on as she watched an actor saunter on stage, wearing a motley array of amour. His hair was wild and he wore ridiculously painted on eyebrows. Jet has arrived on scene.

The water bender's hands began to shake as she realized the worst of her nightmares. She had told Zuko she liked a boy from her past, and chances were, the Ember Island Players were going to portray her relationship with Jet to an outrageous level.

_Oh my, La...Please...no.._

"Don't cry, baby. Jet will wipe out that nasty town for you!"

"Oh Jet! You're so bad!"

Zuko's eyes widened as his face turned slowly to Katara. Her hands had moved up to cover her face, but she looked through her fingers to catch his eye. It was worse than she had thought.

"You...you knew...Jet?"

Her brows met on her forehead, bowed in an expression mixed with shame and embarrassment. Zuko just looked at her in bewilderment, making her emotions magnified tenfold.

"So," he swallowed to keep the rising tide from coming out in a fiery explosion, "the boy you...it was Jet?"

Horrified, Katara shook her head in quick movements, hands going back down to the bench, "No! It wasn't like that! It wasn't _him_!"

She hoped her answer would justify against the enactment, but Zuko merely looked away from her, crossing his arms and slumping into his seat. Hot tears threatened to spring from her eyes but Katara kept strong, willing them to stay put. How much worse could it possibly get?

The play proceeded past the events at the Great Divide and on to the battle in the North Pole. Sokka's actor shared a sad moment with the Actress Yue, and behind her, Toph could hear Suki ask Sokka about the moon spirit.

The actress Aang soon came out wearing a large koi kong suit and assumed destroying Fire Nation ship models before tripping on the costume. The. The scene cuts and the curtain falls.

Outside, the group sat on an entry way stoop, immense agitation apparent on their faces. To Katara's dismay, Zuko sat on the far side of the steps, facing with his back turned towards her and hood up. He remarked loud enough for everyone to hear.

"So far, this intermission is the _best _part of the play."

Sokka took a few steps down with a handful of fire flakes ready to be stuffed into his mouth, "Yeah, apparently the playwright thinks I'm an idiot who tells bad jokes about meat all the time."

Suki rolled her eyes as she looked down from the top step, "oh yeah, you tell bad jokes about plenty of other topics."

"I know!" The warrior held his arms out as is signifying the obvious, his face twisted with a cheek full of food.

The rest of the group took turns at each other, either trying to reassure the horrid portrayals were false, or sarcastically noting just how spot-on they really were.

Zuko closed his eyes and shook his head as the call for closing intermission rang. He got up with the others and returned grudgingly back to his seat. Though he wasn't quite sure how long he could tolerate sitting through the rest. His mind swirled with maddening thoughts, reminders of his attitude and actions of his past haunting him, and Katara holding tight to Jet.

In all honesty, he couldn't figure out which was worse.

.

This time, the play was a bit more bearable, now that the Gaang had become accustomed to the shoddy interpretations. They managed through the first scenes, with Toph being the only one still impressed. The first battle with Azula went by with little wincing.

But it was after second battle in Ba Sing Se that things took an immediate turn. The actor playing Jet returned wearing a pair of oddly bouncing eyes, supposed to represent his being brainwashed. Eventually, a stagehand dropped a rock prop from the top railings, that the actor crawls under, insuring his demise.

Zuko straightened in his seat, confusion written on his face, "Did Jet just...die?"

Sokka leaned forward on the rail in front of him, chin cupped in his hand, "You know, it was really unclear."

Zuko had to admit the slight smirk he felt creep across his face at that. But it was the next scene that took him over the edge.

The stage opened up with the Actress Katara standing in front of a prop painted like the Crystal Catacombs.

"I have to admit, Prince Zuko, I _really_ find you attractive."

Both teens froze in place on the bench, breath caught in their chest and throat as the watched on. Actor Zuko sat upon a rock bench with his head in his hands.

"You don't have to make fun of me."

Actress Katara moved to sit down next to him, "Oh but I mean it! I've had eyes for you since the day you first captured me."

Katara couldn't believe the stroke of luck. It was either a very good situation, or a very bad one. Everything depended on one person. She looked to her left simultaneously as Zuko looked to his right, faces never moving. Both has a rouge blush tinting their cheeks to their foreheads and their body's were rigid.

Beside Zuko, Aang narrowed his eyes, anger beginning to boil over while the Zuko Actor stood up on stage.

"Wait. I thought you were the Avatar's girl?" Aang nodded determinedly.

Zuko and Katara's gaze softens as the actor's conversation goes on, to the point where they were actually smiling with each other.

"The Avatar? Why, he's like a little brother to me! I certainly don't think of him in a romantic way! Besides, how could he ever find out about...this?"

There, the two actors embrace with Actress Katara raising up a leg. The real Katara and Zuko share a chuckle that no one else seems to notice, not even Aang as he gets up to leave the play. However, Sokka managed to issue out an order of fire flakes and gummies right before he vanished out the entrance.

Zuko pulled up the right corner of his mouth as his laughter subsided and the scene onstage changed. He shook his head slightly and looked down, noticing a bit of tanned skin close to his pale hand in the middle of the bench. As he watched, it slid ever so slightly closer.

Looking up, he saw Katara's face pointedly turned down and her bottom lip caught between her teeth.

_Ah Agni, she was cute..._

But she looked for the world like she was going to panic at any moment, waiting for whatever it was on her mind. The fire bender felt the slightest touch of electricity at his hand and returned his gaze back go the bench where Katara's bronze coloured hand was ghosting next to his.

He didn't know why, either because his lack of the obvious, or his stubborn way of overlooking it, but he raised his right hand a placed it over hers, sending a shockwave through her system.

Sapphire eyes raised slowly to meet Golden irises as they held hands and looked at each other, with a pair of emerald eyes brightly sparkling behind them, hardly missing the real show unraveling in front of her.

.

.

**_Ah yes, next chapter, Pamello's all around! Or lemon's, whichever's your fancy. Anyoo, this story is winding down to an end, mates, which may be but a couple more chapters left. Obviously it follows close to the canon timeline, so not a whole heap of time for a few shag spots in between the Comet and Last Battles, I'm sure you understand, and I won't bother you with constant re-written repeats of those scenes, yea? Right well, I'll try to reach up to your expectations, this is Rated (M) after all, and keep you all well entertained. - Artex_**


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